Utah Jazz stud: Rudy Gobert
Nothing to see here, really. 15 points on 5/7 shooting from the field, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks. Ho-hum. It was just another night for Rudy Gobert. The 2 steals were at least somewhat notable.
Joking aside, Gobert’s impact on games has been the most reliable element in Utah Jazz games in 2021-22 so far. Outside of an impressive one-man full court press that had him looking like the French Freak, Gobert did what he always does in this contest.
He protected the rim like it owed him a favor he couldn’t live without. He collected rebounds like they were rare Pokemon Go species’ in 2016. He controlled the interior and maximized his vertical space with well-timed screens to free his teammates on offense.
He was Rudy Gobert. Luckily, it appears that Utah Jazz fans can count on him to continue being himself throughout the 2021-22 season.
Utah Jazz stud: Royce O’Neale
Royce O’Neale wasn’t great on the offensive end last night, finishing with 5 points on 2/9 shooting from the field and 1/5 shooting from three-point range. Fortunately, the Utah Jazz don’t really employ O’Neale to be great on offense.
They employ him to do stuff like, for example, finish a game with 5 steals, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. O’Neale was all energy last night, and the Jazz needed his presence. His defensive chemistry with Gobert is beginning to border on the spiritual: with Gobert blocking traffic in the paint, O’Neale is free to hunt the perimeter for loose handles and sloppy passes. The stability the Stifle Tower provides the Jazz in the paint affords O’Neale the opportunity to create chaos.
He’s willing to gamble on defense, but almost exclusively when it’s advisable. He flustered the young Thunder on numerous occasions last night. If you’re ever looking for an example of a player impacting a game outside of scoring, bookmark this article. Royce O’Neale was the example last night.
The Utah Jazz escaped the Thunder with a six-point win. Fans should be encouraged: any win that comes in a game where Donovan Mitchell scores 13 points is a valuable one. If Mitchell can turn it around, the Jazz should have no trouble in their next contest with the New Orleans Pelicans.